BLACK BEAUTY
recommendation, or mine, would be sufficient warrant for
him."
"You had better write to him, York. I should be more
particular about the place than the money he would fetch."
After this they left us.
"They'll soon take you away," said Ginger, "and I shall
lose the only friend I have, and most likely we shall never
see each other again. 'Tis a hard world!"
About a week after this, Robert came into the field with a
halter, which he slipped over my head, and led me away.
There was no leave-taking of Ginger. We neighed to each
other as I was led off, and she trotted anxiously along by
the hedge, calling to me as long as she could hear the sound
of my feet.
Through the recommendation of York, I was bought by
the master of the livery stables. I had to go by train, which
was new to me, and required a good deal of courage the first
time; but as I found the puffing, rushing, whistling, and more
than all, the trembling of the horse-box in which I stood did
me no real harm, I soon took it quietly.
When I reached the end of my journey, I found myself
in a tolerably comfortable stable, and well attended to.
This stable was not so airy and pleasant as those I had
been used to. The stalls were laid on a slope instead of being
level, and as my head was kept tied to the manger, I was
obliged always to stand on the slope, which was very fa-
tiguing. Men do not seem to know yet that horses can do
more work if they can stand comfortably and can turn
about. However, I was well fed and well cleaned, and, on
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